We chose this cruise because AMA has such a good reputation. We enjoyed the staff very much and the tours were excellent. The biggest disappointment was the quality of the food. It was not that good. In fact, some days it was hard to find anything on the menu that was enticing. Perhaps it was because this was the last time AMADagio would be with AMA. We will do a river cruise again and most assuredly will travel with AMA but hopefully the quality of the food will be better. Also, it is very nice to have wine accompany the meals but I am not a fan of having a large wine glass filled to the brim. I got the feeling that the staff did this because they did not want to keep coming back. It is definitely not the way to enjoy wine. Nice people on board. The lounge shows were good as well. On a positive note, rooms were good and staff was excellent. We will be interested in the future to take a river cruise to Normandy. Read Less

This was the second cruise we have made with AMAWaterways. They are all about service from the cruise manager, to housekeeping, to the crew handling the ship. The local guides speak good English and are very knowledgeable. Almost every walking tour has different walking paces to accommodate everyone so they have an enjoyable time. They are Active, Regular and Gentle. There are two or three choices of tours each day. Local entertainers come aboard each evening which adds to the experience of the area you are traveling through, plus they are a lot of fun and very talented. A guest can be as involved or not involved as they desire each day. The ship is quiet, with high end snacks available all day. The food and the choices are excellent. You can eat as little or much as you wish. Healthy options to the wonderfully decadent. The rooms are clean, I used the laundry service and wish I could have taken them home with me. We have traveled with one other organization, there is no comparison to the quality and customer service in every aspect of traveling and making arrangements with AMAWaterways. Read Less

Our first cruise adventure started with a 3 day guided tour of Paris, then took a train to Lyon and boarded the AmaDagio. From the moment we boarded, the crew were amazing. The very welcoming atmosphere, the cleanliness of our cabin, the quality of the food and dining experiences were so incredibly awesome, even after a month, I continue to spread the word to family, friends and co-workers that this cruise is a "MUST DO" in their lifetime. The Amadagio exceeded our expectations that we are planning our next river cruise. One personal experience that really showed how much they care about each passenger, is one night I was feeling under the weather and didn't go to dinner. About half an hour after dinner started, there a was knock on my cabin door and there they were with a bowl of hot soup and bread and an offer that if I wanted dinner, to give them a ring and they will bring dinner to me. Talk about making me feel like I was very important. At that moment, my spirits were lifted and I slept very well. The daily guided tours to Lyon, Colognes, Vienne, Tourney, Viviers, St. Etienne, Avignon, Arles and Barcelona were so educational that they have sparked my interest into reading more European history, art and architecture. What an awesome learning adventure. My recommendation to anyone, you must do this river cruise. Thank you Amadagio crew of Captain Alex, Cruise Manager Camille and our favorite server, Stella. Thank you for making our first river cruise the best ever. See you soon!!! Read Less

It was recommended by 2 family members who travelled in april 2016.The all inclusive nature appealed to us.The various excursions that were included as part of the program gave us value for money.We were very pleased with the crew and the support and assistance they gave at each stop on the trip. The historical sites were lovely and the various wineries were interesting and gave us a greater appreciation of the Rhone valley.Both Avignon and Arles were great stops and were well worth the trip in themselves.We were provided with complimentary room upgrades on day 1 of our voyage which was a very pleasant surprise. I cannot say enough about the staff on board.From captain to first officer on down.Each always seemed to have time to give to passengers.The food was excellent and the chef made a point of dropping by every evening to ask us how we had enjoyed our meal. Once we had a brief critic of a meal and were thanked for bringing it to their attention. As a person who worked in customer service for most of my career I was most impressed from beginning to end. we will return and enjoy AMA again. Read Less

Heard that AmaWaterways was very good with excellent services and excursions. I was thrilled with the experience and the trip. We had a wonderful, personable and knowledgeable Cruise Manager who was always there and helpful. The ship was lovely, the service excellent, the food fantastic, good wines, and it was so easy to meet people. As a single traveler, it was the best experience yet. I enjoyed the on shore excursions which were varied and the extra options that were provided. The guides were very good and knowledgeable. The room was roomy, lots of closet space and hangers! The bathroom was adequate with a nice shower set-up. The room was cleaned and linen always fresh each day. There was nothing I could complain about this trip on AmaWaterways except that I wish it was longer or possibly that we could stay in one town for more than one day at a time. Truly a lovely experience and totally satisfying. Will definitely do another AmaWaterway River Cruise again. Read Less

This was our third cruise with AMA and it met every expectation. This is an excellent cruise line that knows how to "do it right." Everything was perfect; accommodations, food, and tours. We really enjoyed our pre and post time in Barcelona and Paris. The Barcelona hotel was on the La Rambla right in the middle of everything. The Paris hotel was a little bit away but still within walking distance of many of the sites. The staff on the AmaDagio was superb. They met every need. The were friendly and helpful. With the small number of passengers we were able to get to know the staff on a more personal basis. The ship was emaculate. For an older ship, AMA did a great job making it seem like it was brand new. There is more space per person because of the smaller number of passengers and cabins and the average age is lower than other cruise lines (55). I would strongly recommend that anyone wanting to do a river cruise to look into AMA. Read Less

We traveled many times and more then ten times by cruise..This time the cruise with AmaDagio every thing was excellent. The cabin was very convenient,clean and nice The food was excellent.Dinner was five stars and the chefs special restaurant for one night for every passenger was very very special. The excursions guided by local very professional guides were very interesting. Some days two excursions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Every one of the crew was very friendly and did the best to make the passengers happy. The best among all were the two cruise managers - Rachel Couto and Camille Dernis, Both of them did every possible effort to satisfy us along all cruise days. Thank you Rachel & Camille and all the crew. We shall never forget the special celebration of our 57 anniversary by the restaurant manager and his crew. Hope to be with all of you again in one of Ama cruises.. Read Less

Cannot say enough positives about this cruise. Ports were excellant, mostly small villages wth terrific excursions and guides. The food was outstanding, rooms were clean and comfortable. Staff was beyond great - friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and energetic. Even with a breakdown of ship and locks this trip was absolutely the best. The scenery is gorgeous! The only negative was a group traveling together. They were the rudest people I have ever encountered. The staff did their best to control their bad behavior. My only complaint with how the staff handled this group was allowing them reserved places at meals. No other group had such a luxury. All groups large and small were told first day tables could not be reserved but this demanding group had reserved tables at every meal. This group caused AMA to have two cruise directors on the cruise and they both worked hard to accommodate this group while not slighting other guests, a job I saw as almost impossible. Read Less

I choose this cruise because it had very good ratings on this site. I also like being able to add on Barcelona onto the end of the cruise. The destinations were down the Rhone River in France. First, I had heard the food was not that good on river cruises but that was definitely not the case. The food was excellent and reflected the cities that we stopped in. The wine was flowing freely during lunch and dinner which was excellent. The service was top notch. Everyone was helpful from the people who cleaned the cabin to the servers in the restaurant. The ship was not that large which was perfect as we got such personal attention. The tours were also excellent. In every city we had a good choice and the fact that we had tour guides that were local and spoke beautiful English and French added to the charm of the tour. Between the wine tour, the truffle tour and the artist tour I can't say enough about how terrific the tours were. We met great people from all over the world which only added to the experience. Even the entertainment at night was wonderful. It was a small performing area but the performers were well received. The boat was nice, no bad room really, although I was on the top level which was nice. After the cruise we took a bus to Barcelona ( a long ride I might add) but we stayed at a great hotel, Le Meridian, had a nice tour the first morning and we were well taken care of. I definitely recommend this cruise line and I am sure I will be a returning customer. Read Less

As our second cruise with AMAWaterways, we were comfortable with the details of the itinerary and arrangements. The AMAWaterways Cruise Manager, Christian Abker, was a marvelous addition to the cruise. He recognized that as return customers we were not as "needy" as others but was always there when we had a question or problem. The hotels both in France and Spain were high class. The tours were different from our previous tour insofar as more coach travel was involved in getting to the various points of interest. The locations were great experiences providing not only historical information but in the case of the vineyard, olive and truffle farms gave operational details not easily obtainable elsewhere. There were interesting tour options offered (which we took advantage of) and the billing and details for these on-ship charges were handled with aplomb. The on-board entertainment was local and eager to share their talents with our cruise. Making CDs available was a way to retain the memories. The crew was what we are calling a "typical" AMAWaterways crew as they were unflaggingly courteous, knowledgeable and helpful. The food was excellent and served in a clean and impeccable service environment that made appreciation easy. There are many European cruise options for those interested in such. We "found" AMAWaterways for our first cruise and feel no reason to switch to another line. The amenities and care taken by AMA to insure a enriching and yet relaxing cruise are just what we want. We will continue both to return to AMA for cruises and to highly recommend AMA to friends who are considering a cruise vacation. Read Less

My name is Mike my wife's name is Kathy we are both certified travel agents, we help our , family, friends, and acquaintances get the best travel experiences. We do not work full time as travel agent as we are retired. One thing we had been wanting to do was take a river cruise, we felt we didn't want to go for longer than a 7 to 10 days since we were not sure how well we would like river cruising. After much searching we felt doing a southern France cruise would be perfect for our first time. Below you will see our review of the the Amadagio and it's crew. First off keep in mind that due to the locks used in river cruising "All" river cruise ships are the same width. Some come with balconies, some with french balconies, some with no balconies. I highly recommend the french balconies which the Amadagio has. If you get a room with a real balcony it will eat up much needed room space, remember all river boats are the same width. Rooms on river ships are small, smaller than large cruise ships. But they are large enough. Being 6"3" and 230 lbs I had serious reservations about the size of the bathrooms and especially the showers (I like big showers). I assumed I would have to live with something akin to an airplane bathroom. Boy was I wrong! the bathrooms on the Amadagio are so well designed that I had plenty of room even in the shower!. Actually two can be in the bathroom at one time assuming one is taking a shower. The bedding on the Amadagio was extremely good. When my wife and I travel we always get king beds, but no such thing on river ships, queen is the best you can do :(. But in Europe a queen bed is much larger than a U.S. queen so we had plenty of room :)). The cabins are not ultra fancy like on Uniworld but very comfortable and nicely decorated and CLEAN. (We toured a Uniworld ship) The food is very good! and plenty of it. Wine and beer is included and very good, not cheap, champagne with breakfast if you want. And the wait staff which is WONDERFUL, keeps coming around asking if you want more wine or beer or whatever. The rest of the ship staff is also great always helpful and cheery. They do such a good job I can't find anything to criticize and I am picky. The Captain Michelle and his wife his first officer are just top notch as is the rest of the crew. The ship is very clean and up to date with the exception of the furniture in the main lounge, which should be replaced. The furniture is not threadbare it just looks like it is time to be replaces, but is still comfortable. The excursions are included, some cruise lines charge extra for everything, not so with AMA. The tours and guides were top notch. They had good entertainment every night but keep in mind it is for an older crowd. Most river cruisers tend to be "mature" not someplace you would want to take the average teenager. Regarding embarkation and disembarkation all went very smoothly. The Cruise Manager ANDRE was just the BEST! he made sure everyone was taken care of and everything went as smooth as is humanly possible. Also Andre and the tour guides are extremely careful to make sure no one gets hurt or lost. They were always checking to make sure everyone was accounted for but never in such a way that you never felt smothered, or slowed down. Also they have regular paced groups on the tours and leisurely groups. There was plenty of free time to explore but also so much to do at the ports. I always was tired (in a good way) at the end of the day. One caveat if you are looking for a cruise where you sit and sip wine on the sun deck while the world floats by this is not the cruise for you (Southern France and Provence) most travel was done at night since there was so much to see and do during the day. If you want to sit in the sun and cruise I would recommend the Castles on the Rhine cruise. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Amadagio only holds 140 passengers (smaller is better on a river cruise much more personal attn.) Other ship lines like Viking tend toward 200 passengers ,you tend to become more of a number. Keep this in mind when booking a river cruise. All in all I don't think you can beat AMA or the Amadagio. We traveled with middle incomers and multimillionaires and all were very happy. Read Less

From Arles to Lyon, South East of France. Ship = Very nice and cristal clean. Embarkation = Smooth. Staff = Friendly and professional. Special thanks to Cruise director Maddy and Hotel manager Igor for everything. Cabin = large with nice french door. Some of them are more noisy then other. Dining = Food was great ! Oyster, truffle, etc. All the best. Amazing pastry. Wines could have been better. Entertainment = Very good piano player + exceptional Jazz Trio + Lovely Local performances. Port = Rhone Valley at this best. Winery Galore. Beautiful places. Shore Excursions = More then interesting. All those picturesque villages are full of history. Disembarkation = Smooth and perfect. Highly Recommended. Read Less

This trip was wonderful from start (Lyon) to finish (Arles). Our cruise manager, Dejan, looked after everything and everyone from our pre-cruise start in Paris to our post-cruise finish in Barcelona. The tours were well planned, informative and well executed. The hotel accommodation at both ends was lovely. The ship was fantastic. In really good condition. The crew couldn't do enough for you. Every meal was a joy and the wine was excellent and you were never in want for a top up. We will definitely cruise with AMA again and if Dejan was our Cruise Manager again that would be the icing on the cake. Read Less

We recently returned from a river cruise through Provence on the AmaDagio. We had been touring Barcelona on our own for a week and used AMA's transport to Arles to begin our River boat portion. The transport was well handled and well,organized. We thought the cruise itenerary extensive and well thought out...for the most part. Almost all the tour leaders were knowledgable, personable and often (for our "Gentle Walkers Group") able to pace well. Staff met you at your return with a big smile and an interesting drink. Shout out to Helene for her creative and last minute ability to change, add to and personalize some of the shore excursions. Her hard work and creativity were most appreciated. We found all service personal positive, pleasant and helpful. No request seemed to overwhelm them and they went out of their way to provide a clean, welcoming ship. The dining room was handled well,with good food and good service (although ice cream sundaes were rather overused as a dessert and home baked goods often limited to breads and rolls-which were delicious). Evening activities were surprising good. Much better,in fact, than found on or crusie last year on Viking. However, this is an old, unrenovated ship and lacked so much of what we found on a newer ship. The first issue was the lack of proper lighting throughout the ship. Closet space was quite extensive (for a river boat) but unuseable if you didn't use the the flashlight app on your phone. It was almost impossible to use the small bathroom for putting on makeup as, here again lighting was minimal-as was any usable storage or counter space. The shower was great and hot water always available. There was almost no usual counter space in the cabin with the outdated desktop taking over the majority of what was available. While bottled water was provided daily, you had to drink it warm as the space lacked a mini refrig. - big error. The cabin was small, dark and old with unraveled carpeting, uncomfortable and very limited seating. There was simply nothing inviting about the space...old and sad best expresses it. We were told that AMA was ditching this ship within two years with new ships replacing it. Seems somewhat unfair to charge full rates for a ship that you are not keeping up and which provides so much less than newer ships we have been on. Also, the lack of real balconies was yet another limitation on this ship. The main lounge also suffered from age. Maybe the lack of proper lighting helped hid the old, well used and not very attractive furniture. In summary, the staff was great, the food good, the tours of interest but the ship itself simply unacceptable. Read Less

We truly enjoyed our time in Provence and on AmaDagio! AMA delivers a great cruise, starting with the design of their ships [which proved itself in the 2013 flooding and again in this year’s low-water on the Danube] and carrying through with the food and drink, entertainment and shore excursions, and the staff and crew. Almost everything is top notch, and if it isn’t they will bend over backward to make it right. And as noted below the level of inclusiveness fits our needs just fine. [B]Food[/B]: AMA is known for their food [the Berlitz guide to River Cruising in Europe says they spend more per passenger on food than any other river cruise line] and it showed on this cruise. The daily line-up of food offerings went like this: • Early Risers’ Pastries in the Lounge • Breakfast (buffet, omelet station plus menu for Eggs Benedict, waffles, etc.) • Late Risers’ Pastries in the Lounge • Lunch (buffet plus menu with different items each day) • Light Lunch in the Lounge • Afternoon Tea in the Lounge • Dinner (served, many menu choices) • Late night snacks in the Lounge • 24-hour self-service coffee/tea in the Lounge There were also four special theme-meals: • Welcome Dinner • Lyonnais Delight Lunch • Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Dinner • Farewell Dinner Plus each passenger had one opportunity [at no extra cost] to dine at the Chef’s Table restaurant. [B]Drink[/B]: AMA is not all-inclusive, but I was never tempted to spend my own money for drinks outside the complementary fare so the bartender got no work from me. Here’s what’s included: Daily: • bottled water in cabin (replenished faster than you could drink it) • breakfast: sparkling wine • lunch: wine (same red and white all cruise), beer, soft drinks • dinner: wine (different red and white each night, or they will serve any night’s selection that you like better), beer, soft drinks Special: • Welcome Cocktail on first evening before dinner • Past Passengers’ Reception • Chef’s Table pre-dinner reception • Farewell Cocktail [B]Laundry[/B]: Some cruise lines offer laundry machines [who wants to take time for that on a cruise?], but AMA has a laundry service that is very fast and reasonably priced. [B]Gratuities[/B]: This is a bone of contention for some Cruise Critic posters, but with our history of mass-market cruises we are used to it and follow the cruise line’s guidelines. And this time it didn’t feel like it cost us anything, because our TA had given us enough OBC to cover the gratuities with some left over to cover our laundry bills. We left the ship with an onboard charge of 0 [zero, nada, nil, zilch] – can’t ask for better than that. [B]Entertainment[/B]: two afternoons [a silk painting and printing presentation; and a wine tasting], and five evenings [a French chanteuse; a music quiz; a classical trio; choice of Viviers Ghost Walk or Limited Edition Boulangerie Experience; sail-by the lights of Avignon followed by a pianist/singer with dancing. No hairy legs or wet t-shirt contests, but no adult should complain about a lack of activity on this cruise! [B]Shore Excursions[/B]: We enjoyed this cruise tremendously in all aspects, but I have to give AMA extra top marks for the shore excursions because every option on this cruise was complementary and many are the same excursions that I have read about on other cruise lines as extra cost. Also everyone was accommodated for every one of their choices: gentle walkers [every day], bicycle tours [two, plus free use of bicycles any other time you want], hike [one – we took this], wine tastings [in Beaujolais, onboard while we sailed to Tournon, and the two options in Tournon], Pont du Gard [as an alternative to Avignon, after the general morning tour to a truffle farm and the village of Grignan], Carrières de Lumières [along with the Van Gogh asylum in Saint-Rémy, as an alternative to Les Baux and an olive oil farm, before the general walking tour of Arles]. I think the brochure overstates the amount of bus time, although the return trips were always "nap time" so maybe I undercounted? Anyway, they seem to mention two hours of bus rides on many days, but it never felt that long. For one thing almost all the tours included two stops, so the ride was split into three sections. Also AMA never fills the coaches, so there's plenty of room to spread out. Each guide had 15-20 people [this will vary because AMA lets you sign up based on gentle walkers, regular, fast-paced, and the occasional bike or late risers tour]. This cruise also involved more daytime sailing than our Rhine cruise: often we would wake up somewhere, do a tour and return to the ship for lunch during which it would sail somewhere else where we would have an afternoon tour. The overall experience was one fully-packed day after another. [I was very glad for the opportunity to nap while driving to Marseille after the cruise!] [B]Staff & Crew[/B]: Working on a river ship is no easier than ocean cruises, so I take my hat off to all the hard-working staff and crew of AmaDagio. Every seven days they have to say goodbye to one group of passengers, quickly clean and refit the ship, and welcome the next group – and there don’t seem to be any days off. We had very little to complain about over the entire week, and any complaints that we did make were quickly attended to. [I’m still amazed at the immediate acquisition of EVOO that enhanced our table’s dining experience.] [B]Dress[/B]: River cruises are by nature informal, and the world seems to be getting more informal with each passing year. I brought a sport coat and never took it out of the closet. The dining room was cool, but dress was informal enough that I used a chamois shirt instead. DW says she wore black slacks and a fancy blouse for the Captain's dinner. The only skirt she packed was a print peasant skirt which she wore twice. We like to freshen up and change into nicer clothes for dinner, but she thought that dining attire on this cruise was more casual than on our 2013 AMA Rhine cruise [e.g. men wearing shorts to dinner, even though it wasn't really hot] and many people seemed to wear their sightseeing clothes to dinner. [B]Planning[/B]: My planning bible for this trip, as usual, was Rick Steves. I think the France book is a high point even for his always-excellent series. Every hotel and restaurant recommendation proved worthy, the sightseeing selections are high on everyone’s list but Rick gives more depth to his inclusions including guided tours of the major churches and museums and walking tours of many towns and cities, and the planning sections [e.g. “Whirlwind Three-Week Tour of France by Car”] are an invaluable starting point. My only complaint about Rick’s coverage of France is that you need to buy at least three books to get everything [the Paris book is more comprehensive than the Paris chapter in the France book, and the Provence book is much more comprehensive than the France book for that area]. [B]The French[/B]: We had no problem at all with the famous French “attitude” – we always started with a Bonjour and tried our creaky French, sometimes the conversation could conclude that way and other times they would steer us into English, but almost everyone was very helpful. In Paris we got the brushoff a few times when asking for directions in the street, but that just felt like being home in NYC and it was probably either that the person didn't really know the neighborhood or was in a hurry – we can relate to that, so we weren't offended. In Marseille [also not known for its friendliness] a young man realized that his directions to the nearest gas station were quite complicated, so he jumped in his car and led us there! Our guides were all properly ambivalent about the famous 28-hour work week and long vacations and holidays that sap French productivity [they after all are independent contractors who have to work hard for their income], but we never felt that anyone gave us less than good service and attention. Perhaps the biggest surprise to me was how totally the Académie française has failed in its effort to keep the French language pure: le weekend, le parking, le camping. And at every intersection you see a red octagon-shaped sign with the letters “STOP,” not “arrêt” [although that is apparently not a recent trend: our guide said that her grandmother remembers such signs from her youth]. [B]DW’s Observations[/B]: The French (all ages) smoke like chimneys. Is it cultural? Are they just trying to stay skinny? I think they could exist on tobacco, wine and bread. I can understand the bread part! Their plumbing sometimes leaves a lot to be desired, especially the public toilets along the highway. Gross! (Needed my SheWee). It was only on the ship and in Giverny that we had a fully-enclosed shower and washcloths. (We always bring our own washcloths to Europe). If there is a toiletry or health-related product you really might need, bring it with you. (We couldn’t find Zicam or any zinc cold remedy in the many pharmacies; Vicks cough drops, yes.) Safes for personal belongings were rare to come by in lodgings. Traveling with Jazzbeau is like one of Caesar’s forced marches in the Gallic War or the Death March to Bataan – this is what I told him in the beginning of the trip – however, he did ease up as we progressed on our way through Brittany and actually eliminated sights from our punch list – Jazzbeau is flexible (who knew!) [B]Conclusion[/B]: we loved every minute of this trip, and renewed our appreciation of France [after those tense moments of “freedom fries” and President Sarcastic]. Every province has its charms, and even with three weeks we could only scratch the surface. Paris especially demands a return visit(s). And AMA will definitely be getting a return visit. We plan to book the Port Wine & Flamenco trip as soon as the 2017 schedules come out. The loyalty benefits are great: 5% discount for buying a Future Cruise Benefit, 5% early-booking discount, $100 per person discount starting with the second cruise [plus free airport transfers and 50% discount one-category upgrade starting with the third cruise – increasing to free one-category upgrade starting with the fourth]. But that would mean nothing to me if the product wasn’t also great. Thankfully it is. We had a great time, loved France – and mirabile dictu – neither us of gained a pound, despite eating [and in my case, drinking] very well! You can find a detailed blog of this cruise on the River Cruising forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2264109 Read Less

My wife and I (both in our early 50s) were looking to do something special for our 30th wedding anniversary when I came upon the idea of going on a river cruise. Being from Florida we have had our fair share of experiences with the large Caribbean cruise ships and a river cruise from Lyon to Provence seemed the perfect antidote to that experience. We realized that these type of all inclusive river cruises would attract an older, retired crowd but did not expect to be the youngest couple on board by far. The average age must have conservatively been in the 72-75 range easily. The cruise manager advised me that this was fairly typical for them and indeed from what I saw disembarking from the competitor lines (Viking, Scenic and Avalon) in port, fairly typical for European river cruises in general. After the initial shock of our situation we decided to make the best of it and AMA Waterways made it very easy. The ship (one of the oldest in the line) was in excellent condition although the elevator was out the entire trip. Nonetheless, our state room was clean and ample in size with a wonderful french balcony sliding door that allowed us to watch the world glide away from the comfort of our room. The meals were definitely on the formal side with each night bringing a wonderful creation based on the cuisine in the area we were traveling. The wine was free flowing with frequent refills of your glasses. There is an optional Chef's Table restaurant which we visited one night but frankly I found the food in the main dining room just as delicious. The staff and crew of the Amadagio were top notch with special kudos going to Abel our cruise manager. Entertainment on board was okay mainly consisting of the ship's organist with special guests being invited to perform on a few nights. The included tours were very good, educational and fun. Everything is perfectly organized with all transfers to the sites included. We ultimately met some very nice people and enjoyed their company immensely. Nonetheless, I cannot recommend this cruise to anyone under 60 unless you are traveling with 2 or more couples or friends. Small children and teenagers will be completely lost/bored on this type of trip. I certainly would recommend AMA Waterways based on their service, attention to detail and wonderful itinerary, however I feel that it will be more than a few years before my wife and I are eligible to return. Read Less

We began the trip in Barcelona and ended in Paris. Embarkation was in Arles. The ship was lovely, the staff outstanding, the food better than we even hoped for and the excursions interesting---we learned a ton. The air conditioning broke in 95 degree weather and the staff outdid themselves in taking care of us and making adjustments. We ended up cruising the Rhone at sunset with a classical trio playing romantic music on the top deck--a magical night. Helene our cruise manager was funny, organized and thoughtful about all of our needs. We will definitely cruise again with AMA. Read Less

It was our first and I do hope the first of many, river cruise experience. We loved it. Because it's a small boat (150 passengers), everybody gets to know everybody and that makes a very special trip. Even the crew get to know you by name and what your preferences are. Talking about the crew, they are super friendly and responsible; they make the extra effort for everything. The Chef is super, the tour organizer excellent and I have no words for the captain and his right hand, The food is extraordinary too. One thing that call our attention was that every where we went, the responsible of explaining everything, was a professional in his field. In shprt terms, we can't wait for the next one. Read Less

This was our 4th AMA cruise and 8th overall river cruise. We learned 48 hours prior to boarding that high water levels had dictated a change in our embarkation city as well an overall reshuffling of ports on our itinerary. AMA did an outstanding job of working through these issues. Extra staff was brought aboard to facilitate the changes and make sure all passengers arrived at the new port of embarkation. We visited all ports in our itinerary, just in a different order than originally planned. The only downside for us was the shortened time in Lyon, which turned out to be our favorite of all the ports visited. We were a bit concerned about booking the AmaDagio since it is the oldest boat in AMA's current fleet, but this concern was put to rest as soon as we boarded. AmaDagio was lovely, very well maintained and had the warm and welcoming decor we have come to expect from AMA. Our Cat. A French Balcony cabin was comfortable and well appointed and similar to the other AMA boats we have sailed on. Housekeeping was excellent. Laundry service quick and reasonably priced. Internet service was consistently good on this trip. I cannot say enough about the staff and crew of the AmaDagio. While we have always been impressed with the caliber of staff on our AMA cruises, this experience was truly exceptional. Our wonderful cruise manager Kriss; our movie star handsome and very approachable Captain Danny; the front desk staff led by Victor; Tomas and Peter in the bar who always met us with a warm smile; and every member of the crew and staff we encountered - the team AMA has assembled on AmaDagio was exceptional in every way. The entertainment included La Strada; a chanteuse who was very good; and the highlight of the cruise, a crew dance routine that brought the crowd to its feet on the 2nd to last evening The entertainment that evening was a solo gentleman whose name I cannot recall but who provided an exceptional evening of music and dancing. It was one of the best nights ever aboard a river cruise ship and we had a blast with the crew and other passengers. Bravo, AMA, for having a crew that is not only warm and professional, but that truly integrates with the passengers and made us all feel part of a special family. Excursions were mostly good with our favorite being a visit to a truffle farm in the countryside. We also enjoyed a visit to a family owned olive oil farm. We were docked within the city center at each port, making it very easy to explore on our own, as we often prefer to do. Food was good on AmaDagio, though not as good as we have enjoyed on previous cruises with AMA. Several of the fish dishes at dinner were not up to their normal standards and we noticed that portions were very small. We are not big eaters and prefer smaller portions of food, but this chef took that to an extreme in my opinion. Best meals were at Erlebnis and in the main dining room on the evening where duck was featured. Breakfast and lunch were quite good. Wines were local and really good this trip. Desserts were hit or miss according to my husband, who has a sweet tooth and sampled many of them. We enjoyed the itinerary and are glad we experienced this part of France, but prefer other itineraries we have experienced in previous river cruises. We do enjoy AMA and feel they offer a top notch overall experience.   Read Less

We recently had a wonderful holiday with AMA Waterways on their Provence and Spain itinerary. This was our second river cruise in just over a year and we are hooked! The trip started with a 3-night stay at the conveniently located Pullman Montparnasse in Paris. This hotel was very busy as it catered to tour groups so the downside was line-ups and not such great service for breakfast but, apart from the very awkward to access bathtub, the room was well-appointed and we had a great view of Paris. Save on expensive taxi fares by taking the Air France shuttle bus from the airport. It only cost 16 Euros and stops at the Gare de Lyon and Gare Montparnasse right opposite the hotel. Our charming, efficient and excellent Tour Director, Abel, met us at the hotel and stayed with us throughout our entire trip. He did a wonderful job and we were sad to say goodbye to him. We boarded the cruise in Lyon after an efficient TGV high-speed train ride from Paris (lovely train but smelly washrooms). We were impressed with the ship. It has a very welcoming feel to it and we soon made ourselves at home. The public areas were well designed and very conducive to meeting fellow cruisers. The food was delicious with plenty of variety and the service throughout the ship was exemplary. Wine and beer were included both at lunch and dinner. The in-house entertainment was a bit weak with a pianist who played "elevator music" where everything pretty well sounded the same. He was very nice and friendly but didn't play anything we could dance to. He rarely sang. Some of the guest entertainers were better. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire itinerary. We loved Lyon-such an interesting city with so much to do. The included excursions offered a wide variety of things to see with some ports offering several options. We particularly enjoyed visiting the hilltop villages of Oignt in the Beaujolais region, pretty Grignan and the picturesque Les Baux-de-Provence. We also loved just being able to wander around the towns where we were docked. We were busy all the time but it was still relaxing and we had plenty of time to explore on our own. With the odd exception, the tour guides were excellent. Our cruise finished in Arles in the South of France but we were then taken by coach to Barcelona for three nights. This was an enjoyable journey with a two-hour en route stop in the charming French town of Perpignan. In beautiful Barcelona we stayed at the lovely, modern Le Meridien Hotel located right on the bustling La Rambla-perfect location within walking distance of the Gothic District, Plaza Catalunya with its department stores, the marina area and La Boqueria market and a multitude of bars and restaurants. We loved our room with its huge walk-in rain shower and plentiful lighting including motion-sensor nightlights. Apart from the included sightseeing tour, we would recommend taking the optional tour to spectacular Montserrat with its mountain-top monastery. Again, we saved on a taxi transfer to the airport by taking the very efficient airport shuttle bus from the Plaza Catalunya. It runs every 5 minutes and only costs 5.90 Euros. On a Sunday, it only took about 20 minutes. It was within easy walking distance of our hotel. We recommend this cruise itinerary. It was well-organized, varied and allowed us to stay in two of our favourite cities and visit areas of France we had never seen.   Read Less

My husband and I heard about AMA Waterways from an acquaintance. We booked our trip on the AMADagio .The trip was absolutely wonderful and the staff was outstanding. Our cruise director, Abel Ramos, was always there and always able to answer any questions we had. AMA did a wonderful job of selecting the excursions we had and the guides were very knowledgeable in each of the areas we went to. We found our room to be very nice and fit our needs perfectly. We enjoyed the entertainment that they provided. The staff in the dining room was very pleasant and tried to accommodate any dietary needs that you wanted. As for the staff, I had a sleep machine with me and the young lady taking care of our room knew to bring in distilled water. We can't wait to go on another trip with AMA!!!!! It was fantastic. Read Less

I just returned home from 13 days with AMAwaterways. Seven days were spent on the AMAdagio and 3 days pre-cruise in Paris and 3 days post cruise in Barcelona. The Paris hotel was a disappointing choice, but compared to the comfort on board the AMAdagio it was heaven. I expected a 5 star experience. At best I'll be generous and give it 3 stars. The cabins were tiny, as I expected, but I didn't expect a bed that was a torture device. The mattress was lumpy and we could feel the poorly placed slats below. Unfortunately, the water in the bathroom had a very unpleasant odor which added to the discomfort. I don't know if they can correct this problem. Overall, the "hotel" experience on board was that of an old hotel that was well passed its prime. The food was less than mediocre. The meats reminded me of the university dining hall. I was served overripe fruit and the pastries seemed like they were packaged (in France!). I was surprised that the day before we left the boat we were asked to surrender our bathrobes so the crew could start washing them for the next group. On the positive side the tours and guides were very good and the staff was attentive and pleasant. The trip ended in Barcelona at a good hotel in tourist friendly neighborhood. Overall, I feel the trip was a second class experience beginning with the hotel in Paris, the second class train ticket to Lyon, the bus with broken air conditioning from France to Barcelona, and the aged feeling on board the boat.   Read Less

My DS and I were part of a group of about 40 who elected to spend four days in Paris, France before our cruise on the AmaDagio to Provence. We took advantage of some of the pre-arranged tours and transfers AmaWaterways (“AMA”) offered. Our trip began the evening of Saturday, May 10, when we flew from JFK airport to Paris. We arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport Sunday morning, retrieved our luggage and met the Ama rep who led us to our coach bound for the city. Another rep at the Ama desk at the Pullman Paris Montparnasse hotel gave us all our room keycards. Our luggage was taken to our rooms if it bore the Ama tag that was previously provided. After settling in at the Pullman, my DS and I walked around the neighborhood. Gare Montparnasse and the local metro are conveniently located at the end of the street, and there are several restaurants, banks, clothing, grocery and other stores nearby. We grabbed a crepe with cheese and located a BNP Paribas bank to withdraw euros. Sunday evening, the group’s first tour in Paris consisted of a cabaret dinner show at the Moulin Rouge; needless to say the men were mesmerized (lol). The following morning, our guide took us on a city tour by coach to see the major sites in Paris; we traveled by metro to spend some time at Notre Dame Cathedral. The tour continued with lunch at Le 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant, and in the evening we had dinner on a Seine River cruise. Since we were free most of the third day, a couple joined my DS and I on an excursion by local bus to Musee D'Orsay. To skip the long lines, we paid a couple more euros and obtained passes from the concierge at the hotel. Metro tickets were sold out so we bought day passes at the station. I was particularly interested in viewing The Disciples, by Eugene Burnand, but was disappointed to learn it was in storage. Nevertheless, Musee D'Orsay was delightful as were the exhibits. We used the nearby footbridge with “love locks” to cross the Seine and continued through Tuileries Garden and Place de La Concorde to get to Rue du Faubourg St. Honore where we browsed high-end shops. We then walked along Champs Elysees and enjoyed a late lunch. We rode the metro back to the hotel to prepare for the Montmartre and Illuminations evening tour which gave us an opportunity to explore the hilltop district and Sacre-Coeur Basilica, and to observe the lights of Paris at night. The stop at the Eiffel Tower was a treat with its sparkling lighting effects. Day four consisted of a tour that focused on various ethnic groups in Paris and the night ended with a Brazilian cabaret dinner show. The second day in Paris, the group met Sebastien Leroy who was to be our cruise director on the AmaDagio. He welcomed and assisted us, made us feel comfortable and at ease and ensured we got off to a good start on our tours. I believe getting to know Sebastien in Paris, and the foundation that Ama laid from the point of greeting us at the airport, set the tone and helped us to settle in early and better enjoy the cruise that was to follow. The transfers were also particularly helpful as we did not have to find our way from point A-B or traipse our luggage around as Ama handled these details. Early Thursday, the 15th, after breakfast at the Pullman, we left by coach to take the TGV high-speed train to Lyon. Within two hours we arrived and were whisked away to our first cruise tour which was a cooking demonstration where we prepared an appetizer, main meal and dessert. We were then taken to the AmaDagio where our luggage awaited us in our French balcony cabin on the Cello deck. There was sufficient storage for my DS and I to unpack and we settled in. We later attended a cocktail reception where all guests were introduced to the top brass of the ship and were provided safety instructions and other information. The ladies present enjoyed a special welcome from Captain Louis Devaux which caused some men to be jealous (lol). Breakfast, lunch and dinner were about the same time each day on the AmaDagio and the latter meals provided delightful opportunities to explore and experience French cuisine, wines, and cheeses. One night, we had dinner at the Erlebnis Restaurant in the aft where an exquisite meal was prepared to individual order, while we enjoyed a splendid scenic view of the banks of Tournon and the suspension footbridge which reminded us of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. Also, entertainment was provided each night, and some couples showed us their dance moves on the floor. At times local artists were highlighted. The Daily Cruiser newsletter kept us abreast of important information such as ports, local history, excursions, and schedules. My DS and I joined the informative guided tours Ama offered at each port. Several of the locations are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Among other things, we learned of: the impact of papal and ancient Roman history on local culture, and the Saone and Rhone Rivers on the livelihood of the people along their banks centuries ago and today; the regions we were visiting; soil types and conditions that produce various wine appellations and other products; olive and truffle farming; trades, artistry and industries; ancient architecture and lifestyles; the Mistral wind and more. On reflection, I doubt I would have gotten as much detail on a self-guided tour or drive through. Also, we were able to keep pace with our English-speaking guides with the voice box Ama provided each of us, which was wonderful since we did not have to strain to hear what was being said and we could stop momentarily to observe an item or site of interest while the group continued several feet ahead. Some memorable tour highlights were -- Lyon: During the City Tour, we slipped easily over the Rhone and Saone Rivers and learned how traboules, covered walkways, were used in the old town. Belleville: On the Beaujolais Excursion we met a local vintner, Pascal, who explained regional wine production with Gamay grapes; and we visited the ochre-colored, medieval, hilltop village of Oingt (pronounced like a nasal “wah”). Vienne: During the walking tour, we took photos of the first century, Roman Temple of Augustus and Livia with its Corinthian columns. Tournon: We toured Tain-l'Hermitage, learned about Syrah/Shiraz grapes, Cotes-du-Rhone vintages and aging potential, and we sampled wines at M. Chapoutier. Viviers: On the evening Ghost Walk, we heard of Noel Albert, a burgher and embezzler who was beheaded and is claimed to haunt the medieval town. St. Etienne des Sorts: We traversed the village of Grignan and visited the hilltop Renaissance chateau where the daughter of Madame de Sevigne, who is credited with influencing French literature, lived; we later visited a farm and observed how the owner, Serge, harvests truffles with the help of his dog, Emy, who is Italian and understands French and English (lol). Avignon: We envisioned how seven successive popes lived in the Gothic Papal Palace in the 14th century, and we took advantage of the opportunity to shop. Arles: Our coach climbed the Alpilles Mountains to the rocky outcrop village of Les Baux de Provence where the ruins of a castle and its fortress sit; we also visited a farm in Saint-Remy and learned about olive oil production and quality from Gilles; and our walking tour of Arles took us to the Roman Amphitheater and sites that inspired some of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings such as the yellow café and the courtyard of the hospital where he was admitted in the late 1800s. Sometimes more than one tour was available at a port. For example, I was outnumbered by a vote of 3:1 and we signed up for the L'Hermitage Wine Tour although I would have also enjoyed the Chocolate and Wine Pairing Excursion at the chateau in Tournon. Some guests opted for the Nougat Demonstration in Viviers; Pont du Gard Roman Aqueduct Tour & Uzes or Chef Cabestan Culinary Studio in Avignon; while others went with the Impressionist Experience Tour in Arles. At times, gentle walkers' and later risers' tours were offered. The last night in Arles, there was a farewell gala cocktail and captain's dinner at which time the Captain and crew gave the guests a great send-off. Our group did not continue to Barcelona so the next day, on the 22nd, we transferred to Marseille by coach to fly to JFK via Charles de Gaulle. Ama handled our luggage from our cabins to the airport. Overall, Captain Louis and Patricia, his second in command and wife, were excellent hosts who made us feel at home on the AmaDagio. All staff we encountered on the ship were professional, courteous and helpful. We knew several by name. This was my first riverboat cruise and I hope it will not be my last. I found it to be an intimate, personal and enriching experience as I became more immediately in touch with my surroundings when we stepped off the ship and into the local culture. I was also aware of the ship and its navigation as it glided over the calm and gentle waterways, through locks, and along the rolling slopes of vineyards and the banks of everyday living in towns and villages, all as I absorbed and embraced the French way of life, if only for a moment. La vie c'est belle!   Read Less

My family and I recently came back from our 21 Day Romantic Seine & Rhone Paris to Barcelona APT tour in June 2013 on board AmaLegro and AmaDagio. We all had a wonderful time there and I would like to use this opportunity to share my experiences and thoughts with everyone. Hopefully, people would find my article useful in their decision making and preparation for their trips with APT and/or AmaWaterways. There are 2 parts of my review: part 1 covers 3 days in Paris and 7 day on board AmaLegro, and part 2 covers 7 day on board AmaDagio and 3 days in Barcelona. This is part 2 of my review. The second part of our journey started from disembarking from AmaLegro in Paris and taking 1 day of bus ride from Paris to Lyon where our luxury river ship, AmaDiagio, awaited. It took us to a spectacular cruise from Lyon to Arles on the Rhone River, exploring the fascinating sights of Southern France. Compared to our previous experiences with AmaBella and AmaVerde travelled from Amsterdam to Budapest in 2011, AmaDagio is very similar to those ships but a few years older. There are public lounges in the front and back of the ship, free internet and Wi-Fi access, and gym. The cabins are well equipped and reasonably spacious. The food and shore excursions were certainly the highlights of my cruises. The quality of the food (3 meals, morning tea, and afternoon tea) was excellent and services from the restaurant and bar staff were very good. Although there were a few problems relate to non-alcoholic drink not being refilled and no pepper served in a timely manner in the beginning of the trip, the restaurant manager, Andras Rafajlovics, was able to resolve all of our concerns effectively and swiftly. He was very attentive and thoughtful in dealing with passengers’ special diet requirements, such as food allergies. My favourite shore excursions along Rhone River were (1) Lyon city tour where we visited the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourviere and the Old Town of Lyon; (2) Beaujolais wine region; (3) attractive Roman town of Vienne where we saw the 1st century Roman Temple of Augustus and Livia; (4) Grignan and Truffle Farm (5) Avignon walking tour that took us to see the Palace of the Popes, Rocher des Doms, and the bridge of Avignon; and (6) Arles where our guide show us the amazing Roman Amphitheatre and stroll through the town’s squares and cafes bathed in the provincial light that inspired Van Gogh’s most famous works. All passengers on walking tours were accompanied by Quietvox and people could join different groups to suit their fitness level. There was daily information session every afternoon by the tour director informing everyone the details of shore excursions for the next day. We have a different tour director on board AmaDagio from AmaLegro. Every day when we left the ship for shore excursion, Captain Louis Devaux and Hotel Manager Luis De Sousa Marques would always standing by the ship exit to say good bye to us then greeted us again when we came back from the shore excursion. I was impressed with this old school French hospitality. If you are planning to participate in Vivers “Ghost Walk” in the evening, then please make sure that you take a torch with you from the ship reception before you leave. Although you would be accompanied by tour guides, there was limited lighting in some part of the journey. I almost tripped over on the stairs on the way down from a castle because I couldn’t see the missing tile from one of the steps as there was no light shining over the stairs. Similar to my experiences at AmaLegro, I have the same safety concern with the design of the spiral staircases to level 1 cabins in AmaDagio. Compare to all other stairs in the ship, the tight construction of these stairs with narrow staircase width, steep gradient, and handrail on only one side, they are not easy for the elderly passengers to use. With majority of the passengers on board over the age 50, every day I saw elderly passengers struggling with these stairs. I am a much younger person and even I found the stairs gradient very challenging. I felt climbing up these stairs was like a rock climbing exercise because these stairs are just too steep. After 7 day cursing along Rhone River, we disembarked AmaDagio and travelled by coach from Arles to Barcelona. We stayed 3 nights in Le Meridien Ramblas Hotel Barcelona and attended tours organised by APT. I filed a formal complaint to APT after the tour to raise my concerns. APT addressed my concern about the evening tour swiftly. APT was initially sceptical to my concern about the level 1 stairs and told me that these staircases comply with European safety standards, and since nobody ever complaint about the stairs and have been no accidents recorded, then it must be an isolated problem. So I had no choice but to liaise with other level 1 passengers and encourage them to contact APT and tell APT what they thought about level 1 stairs. In the end, APT agreed to pass on my suggestions regarding a second handrail to AmaWaterways for future consideration, and APT would encourage anyone who has disclosed their mobility concerns to book cabins on level 2 or 3 in the future. Overall, we had a lovely time in Barcelona and on board AmaDagio. It could have been perfect holiday for us if it wasn’t for the dangerous stairs. We do not hold any grudge or vendetta against APT or AmaWaterways, but we want to share our experiences with people who are considering taking the European river cruise with APT / AmaWaterways, so people would be much better prepared than us.   Read Less

I joined the AmaDagio after 10 days in Europe during which I broke my shoulder and hand - I am young enough (50), but was feeling fragile. When I saw the crew waiting at the train station to welcome me I nearly cried with relief. They took my bags and my arm and I knew right then they would take good care of me and make this week a dream. And that they did. I travelled solo during this portion of my trip and the small, intimate environment made sure I met nearly all of my sailing mates. There were family groups of siblings, girl's get-away groups, couples, a few singles and three wine clubs (this was a wine themed cruise). There are usually no children on this type of sailing but I did see one grandmother with her daughter and two teen granddaughters. They seemed to enjoy themselves and were well behaved. It was a wonderful mix of people and all were courteous, well educated and well traveled. Many owned their own businesses or were enjoying early retirement. This was NOT a bunch of elderly folks or people out for a cheap vaca and freebies cramming 4-6 into a cabin! No spring breakers or wild partiers, either. Most people were in the 40-60 age range. If you want a Water park, casino and disco, this is not for you. If you want family fun, this is not for you. I compare it like Vegas to Vienna. If you want culture, sophistication and class, this is for you. The wine lectures, the history and unique excursions are second to none. From the moment I stepped on board I was treated like a valued member of the family. The cabin was spacious, although not as large as my Med ocean cruise, but completely adequate. The bed was soft and had a fluffy duvet. There were plenty of pillows and the bathroom amenities and towels were excellent. There was an in-room entertainment system for watching movies and TV or using the internet. I had my own laptop and had no problem logging on each night and uploading pictures for friends. I was in the cabin one day when the housekeeper came to clean. I invited her to do so and was amazed by how thorough she was. She literally scrubbed the bath from top to bottom - floor, walls, glass, and fixtures until they shone. If they do that every day you could eat off those surfaces!! The French balcony was not as nice as a full one, but by sitting in the lounge chair next to the railing, it was an acceptable substitute. I really did not miss that at all. It is all about smelling the fresh air and being able to lean out over the water. The excursions. Wow. These were all included and the best I could have imagined. We visited a truffle farm - my favorite - and saw a little dog, Aimee, search for and retrieve the precious nuggets. Afterwards we tasted the truffle oil and had wine. We had a market tour and cooking lesson that was world class ( and the instructor was de-lish!! :) ). We toured an olive farm and tasted the fresh oil and some tapenade. And there was the chocolate and wine pairing!! Need I say more? We saw villages where time has stood still, views beyond compare from hills over the river, and all of this done with the best guides ever. And I would be remiss for not calling out our Tour Manager, Elke. She was so kind and knew everyone of us by name. When a couple of us who were less mobile wanted to go on a market trip, she took us personally by taxi so we could skip the walking portion. Now that is customer service!! And speaking of service and thoughtfulness.I was on a trip over the Easter holiday. On Sunday we found an Easter Basket on the bed with a Godiva chocolate bunny. Later in the week it was a beautiful woven scarf thanking us for being their guest and inviting us to their new cruises on the Mekong - which I WILL be doing!! I will say the service was above and beyond anything I have experienced on an ocean cruise. I will be a river cruiser from now on! I am a fan of AMA! Entertainment. We had wonderful classical (a string trio that brought tears to my eyes) and regional (think Parisian cabaret singer) entertainment on board. There were also some silly fun things like a comic and a theme night with 60's music. Food. I cannot say enough about the wonderful food and wine. I never did get up early enough to enjoy the breakfast - I was on holiday!! - However, the other meals were divine. The lounge was always open with drinks and snacks. The wine was not complimentary in the lounge, but that was a choice for a more relaxed setting. A buffet style offering of some of the choices in the main dining area was set up in the lounge for those who preferred it. It was always possible to sit on the outdoor deck with a snack or drink any time of day. And the rooftop deck was also a site for gatherings and groups with bottles of wine and snacks. But the dining room.oh the wondrous things that they had there! I made it a point to go to the main dining room for every lunch and dinner. This is not my usual practice on the bigger ocean ships since I feel uncomfortable as a solo traveler with all the couples and the assigned seating. This was different. The tables were set up in twos, fours, sixes, eights and more and you could sit anywhere. Oftentimes people I had met during the day asked me to join them. Other times I sat at a small table by myself and read or chatted with others at adjoining ones. I felt very welcome and not at all alone. On the big ships I only dined in my room because the dining room was too formal and cold. This was so much nicer. So, the FOOD. Wow. The bread basket and daily assortment of spreads alone would have been worth the price. Sometimes it was flavored butters and sometimes a cheese spread or tapenade. All were excellent and there were always three different kinds. First course choices included a soup - always a broth for the weight conscious and a cream soup for those who were not. I had soups flavored with a variety of veggies, mushrooms and herbs. They often came with a dollop of cream and a breadstick artfully placed atop the bowl. Appetizers ranged from a simple salad (as if you could call the beautiful presentation simple) to a wonderful regional treat like marinated mozzarella pearls with tomato coulis and basil cream. The entrees were so special it was hard to choose. Often there was a fish dish or pasta. The choices reflected the area we were in. There was always an option for a steak, burger or vegetarian meal. Every single thing I tried was delicious and better that the finest Michelin restaurant in service. The "wine boys" kept the beverages flowing and made the meals fun with their smiling personalities. There was always a cheese board and variety of crackers and breads on a table in the center of the room. There was often a fruit plate as well. Lunch was less formal and could be served at your table or by visiting a spread in the center of the room. One thing I loved about the river cruising was that the scenery was right outside our window 24/7. During dinner, swans would swim up to the windows and castles would glide by. Amazing. We were never more than a few feet from shore. The intimacy of the ship and the ease in which it glided into the center of towns was perfect. You can get off and walk mere steps to the town centers. No lines, no big groups, no hassles getting on and off the ship. In fact, we were always welcomed "Home" with a beverage that suited the day. A fresh lemonade on a hot one or warm cider on a cold, blustery morning. This experience has changed my perspective on cruising forever. I will only be on river cruises from now on.   Read Less